


Take Me to Church

by supercalvin



Series: Supercalvin's entries: Pornalot 2016 [6]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Historical, Alternate Universe - Priests, M/M, Porn with Feelings, Priest Kink, Self-Harm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-28
Updated: 2016-08-28
Packaged: 2018-08-11 14:48:12
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,433
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7896808
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/supercalvin/pseuds/supercalvin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Father Arthur Pendragon had made Ealdor his home immediately after he had made his vows to the Church, in the first year of King Richard III's reign. Merlin was a man without sin in a time when it felt like the Devil lurked in every corner.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Take Me to Church

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this fic for Challenge Three: Kink Link (with the words begging, dirty talk, historical au, and mercury) but it became too long for me to use and I didn't want to cut it down. So I'm just going to post it here, because it's written, why not? Maybe I just really wanted a priest kink fic. Maybe.  
> (Also, very loosely inspired by "Camila" a Spanish film about an Argentine woman and a young priest who fall in love)

Father Arthur Pendragon had made Ealdor his home immediately after he had made his vows to the Church, in the first year of King Richard III's reign. He had arrived when the village had needed God the most, as a sweating sickness spread through the land. In that time, Father Pendragon had become friends with the physician, Merlin Emerson, who had the complete trust of the locals. He had been taught by his uncle and his mid-wife mother, and although he lacked formal education, he was more quick-witted than anyone Arthur had ever met.

Merlin was a man without sin in a time when it felt like the Devil lurked in every corner. Merlin always attended Mass, said his prayers before a meal, and tried to embody the life of Christ in his daily life. Even priests were not as virtuous. Less than a few miles away, Father Dawson lived with a woman whose children were rumored to be his.

Arthur had wished he was as pure as Merlin, but he constantly struggled through his faith. As a boy he had not wanted to become a priest, like his father had wanted, and it had always been hard to abstain from his own selfish desires. He wished to travel. He longed to indulge. He ached for love.

His mind wandered to Merlin often. It wandered like it had when he was young and allowed to imagine a lover's embrace.

On Sunday night Arthur fell into dreams where his skin pressed to pale skin, long fingers wrapped around him, and plush lips pressed to his own. As he felt on the pinnacle of his pleasure, he startled into consciousness. With a prayer on his tongue, he reached to his bedside table where his flail laid. He pulled the shirt from his body, thick with sweat, and threw his arm back and bared his teeth as the leather tails bit through the skin of his back. The leather wasn't designed to cut, only to act as a reminder of the pain Christ endured in his last days. But with the dream still in his mind's eye and his arousal still thrumming in his body, Arthur raised the whip again and again until he felt the sin was purged from his body.

His mind was fogged afterwards. He pulled on a loose shirt and trousers and wandered out of his cottage to the church garden. He held his rosary in his hand, mindlessly whispering his prayers as he looked at the stars. Arthur recognized Mercury hanging above the horizon, bright as a shining jewel. He recited the myths of the constellations until he was too tired to stand.

When he returned to bed, he wished Merlin would have seen the wonder of the stars with him. With that thought, Arthur was right where he began. Although his heart had been promised to God, it belonged to Merlin.

After that night, Arthur stayed away from Merlin. He made excuses to leave his friend’s side. He avoided Merlin's eye at Mass. He did not encourage conversation, nor did he visit Merlin’s home anymore. As his dearest friend, it was no surprise that Merlin would catch onto him.

It was a stormy summer evening when Merlin cornered him in the church garden. The sky cracked open and the rain came down in a thick haze as the clouds thundered overhead.

There was barely a wave of a hand in greeting as Merlin stomped up to Arthur, halting him in his path.

"We are friends, are we not?" His bluntness was not unusual, but his sharp tone was.

Arthur’s heart ached in his chest, "Of course."

"Then why have you been so cold? Have I done something to offend you?"

"No, of course not, it's quite the opposite."

"You have done something to offend me?" Merlin was trying to be playful, a peace offering, but Arthur grimaced instead of smiled.

"Arthur, what is it that worries you so?” Merlin studied him, and Arthur’s sin must have been as clear as if his soul was in his eyes.

Merlin stepped forward, hesitantly touching Arthur's arm. "You must know that I value your friendship above all else."

“Forgive me, my friend.” Arthur looked away, "I believe I value your friendship too much."

Merlin stepped even closer, Arthur’s name whispered on his lips. The rain had soaked through Arthur’s robes and Merlin must have been cold in his thin shirt and trousers. He didn’t move to get out of the rain. Instead he leaned in closer. Merlin pressed those plush lips to the corner of Arthur's in a kiss that would have been chaste if it had been between man and wife. But it hadn’t been, and may God have mercy, Arthur pressed forward to capture Merlin's lips eagerly.

They kissed, and it was only when Merlin raised his hand to Arthur's cheek that he was startled from his dream. Arthur pushed away and slipped on the rain soaked grass, falling to his knees. Eyes closed and hands braced on his knees, Arthur bowed his head. "Our Father, Who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done-"

He felt a presence kneel beside him and then he felt Merlin's fingers press to Arthur's lips, halting his prayer.

He didn't move a single muscle, eyes closed tightly.

Merlin's voice was soft, "Did not Christ love?"

Breath shuttered out of Arthur. He turned to find Merlin's storm blue eyes watching his profile.

"Love is what brings us closer to Christ. Not farther away."

"This is sin." Arthur's throat tightened.

"I don't believe God would wish anyone to live without love." Merlin leaned forward so that his forehead leaned against Arthur's temple.

Arthur swallowed, "Merlin, please I beg you to not tempt me. I've made my vows."

Merlin ran his hand along Arthur's shoulder and into his hair, his nose pressed to Arthur's cheek. "I love you more than I can describe. You are the best man I have ever met. There is no one I would rather love with my heart and with my body."

"Please." He didn’t know if he was asking Merlin to leave or come closer.

"Do you love me?"

That's was all it had taken to make Arthur crumble, because his love for Merlin was stronger than even God Himself.

Arthur led Merlin to his cottage and into his humble bed. Merlin lifted the cross from his chest and set it on the bedside table. He peeled the wet fabric from Arthur’s skin and gasped when he saw the scars on Arthur’s back, some as fresh as the night before. Arthur felt cool lips press to the heated skin, as Merlin kissed along the patterned lines of Arthur's penance.

“Do not punish yourself so.” Merlin’s words were so soft that they blended with the sound of the rain.

Arthur trembled, and could not answer. Instead he turned around and pulled Merlin close to his chest. His back stung at every move. Now that he felt Merlin against his skin, he knew that no amount of lashes could eradicate this sin from his heart. If it were sin at all.

“I think of you every night.” Arthur whispered between light kisses as Merlin’s hands roamed over Arthur’s chest.

“Tell me.” Merlin pushed off his own clothes, leaving both of them bare.

“I dream.” Arthur grasped as Merlin’s hips, his hands clumsy with inexperience. “Your lips. Your hands.”

Merlin pressed Arthur down onto the bed and whispered in Arthur’s ear, “I lie awake and make my own dreams about you.” Merlin’s thigh pressed against Arthur’s cock, already aching for release. “I touch myself, imagining my cock to be yours, and how much I’d like to make you bend with pleasure.”

Arthur whined and turned his head away, his face red.

Merlin’s hand wrapped around Arthur, slowly moving up and down, his palm pressing at the tip. "Is this alright?”

"Oh, dear God-" Arthur's breath hitched as he cursed in vain, his hands curling around the headboard.

" _Oh_ " Merlin gasped in pleasure. "I've never heard you curse."

"Damn you, don't stop." Arthur said when Merlin paused in his surprise.

Merlin laughed breathlessly, and then continued working his hand up and down.

Merlin leaned down, his lips on Arthur’s neck and collar. His words ghosted over Arthur, "You feel like Heaven, Arthur. You take my breath away, as if you were a miracle from God Himself. I want to fall to my knees and worship you.” Arthur cried out as his pleasure crested and ecstasy seized his entire body.

 


End file.
